Interim Dean of the Scripps College of Communication Scott Titsworth, President Roderick J. McDavis, AUCC President Kojo Yankah, and Executive Director for the Center for International Studies Dan Weiner at the signing.

AUCC is a private university located in Accra, Ghana, and is the first university in Africa to focus on journalism and communication. The agreement between OHIO and AUCC will become one of almost 200 other international agreements that OHIO holds.

"Developing and fostering strong partnerships with universities around the globe is an important aspect of our commitment to diversity and an important way that we enrich the student experience at Ohio University," OHIO president Roderick J. McDavis said. "This new agreement broadens the scope of our student and faculty experiences and formalizes our partnership with AUCC."

The agreement incorporates student and faculty exchanges, study abroad opportunities for OHIO students and professional development for AUCC faculty. This fall, OHIO will welcome its first AUCC graduate student in the African Studies Program.

"We will have new education-abroad options for students, particularly for undergrads, and particularly for those studying in communication and business fields and Akan, a major Ghanaian language we teach here," Director of African Studies Steve Howard said. "The African Studies Program will benefit from a new link with the African continent, recruiting students and offering a place for faculty exchange."

Executive Director of the Center for International Studies Daniel Weiner echoed McDavis’ words, "International education is very important at Ohio University, and international partners are an important aspect of our global infrastructure."

Yankah founded AUCC in 2001 and has been deeply involved in improving journalism education in West Africa. Not only is he a journalist and author of several novels, but he is also a former member of Parliament in Ghana and a former minister of state in Ghana’s Central Region.